What do you do when life throws dirt at you?

...Once there was a donkey that fell in a very large hole.  The farmer did not know what to do.  He simply decided the best thing was to bury the donkey.  He began to shovel dirt into the hole.  At first the donkey panicked – he was being buried alive!  How could the farmer do such a cruel thing to him?

The dirt was getting very heavy on the donkeys back so he shook the dirt off.  The farmer continued to shovel the dirt into the hole and the donkey shook it off – a shovel of dirt, a shake off by the donkey, another shovel, another shake.  Soon the dirt began to pile up under the donkeys feet.  He realized that each time he shook the dirt off his back, the mound beneath him got taller and if he chose to step up onto the mound, he got closer to the top of the hole.  The farmer shoveled the dirt, the donkey shook it off and stepped up…higher and higher the donkey went.  Shovel of dirt, shake it off, step up…shovel of dirt, shake it off, step up.  Shovel, shake, step up – shovel, shake, step up.  Finally the donkey was standing so tall he could walk freely and easily out of the very hole he feared would bury him alive.

Life can throw dirt at us.  We can feel buried by challenges and trials and feel like giving up.  But we can also use the dirt that is thrown at us, to build character and rise up.  Sooner or later dirt will be thrown at you, but what you do with it is up to you.  You can use it to build your future or cover your grave.

What do you do when life throws dirt at you?  Do you shake it off and step up on it?  Remember, with each step up, you are closer to the top.  Wisdom is the view from the hilltop with much dirt under your feet.

Shake it off and step up – Shake it off and step up – Shake it off and step up

The Wisdom in Change...

As the old saying goes...The fastest way from point A to point B is a straight line. Let me ask you a question. When was the last time in your life you got from point A to point B on a path that was straight, quick and uneventful? Or do your journeys sometimes consist of an intermittent rendezvous in the road ditch, a ‘critter’ or two popping out from nowhere to make you swerve, or do you find yourself meandering through the curves of the path with an occasional stop at the famed ‘look-out’ point???  I thought so. Me too.

Changes will occur on your journey from point A to point B.

Many times I have heard people (myself included) talk about how they started down a new road going after a new point B and suddenly life “got in the way”. They were forced to slow down or take a different route. A significant change had occurred they were not expecting. There are times when I’ve been traveling down a road to my point B, found the strength to keep life events from forcing me off course, but then woke up one day in the ditch alongside of my trusty road which I knew would bring me to the Promised Land. That’s when the voice in our head says “Hey, this isn’t so bad. I can see my path – it is right there next to me. I’ll be fine over here for a bit because it only takes a little hop to get back on track.”

Changes will occur on your journey from point A to point B.

Last week, my kids wanted to play Mario Cart Wii and challenged mom to a race. Of course since I am only a wee bit competitive (Ha Ha!) I agreed to their offer...as I was hungry for a win, even if it meant toasting my kids at Wii. (keeping it real here) The race course they chose had many twists, turns and obstacles. Some of the corners required a very sharp turn. My constant over reaction coupled with inertia sent my car onto the grassy area next to the race track on several occasions. My adorable little Mii (pronounced Me for those who have not had the Wii (We) experience) in my super fast roadster was driving right next to the path, but the grassy area slowed my vehicle to a snail’s pace. The other cars on the track would wiz by Mii. Eventually I found myself in 12th place...out of 12 cars! Who knew that one could drive SO CLOSE to the original path, thinking they were doing JUST FINE only to find they really were not part of the race at all! A slight change in the course (grass in this case) made all the difference. Going from point A to point B included a change in the ground beneath me, which I did not expect.

Changes will occur on your journey from point A to point B.

Me? (or Mii?)

I’d like to share some wisdom I have learned in life. The principle goes something like this: we first need to be A-ware of something then we can B-eware of it. For example, if we are first A-ware that change is constantly happening in our lives, then we can B-eware of how we are dealing with change...are we Reacting or Responding...are we Listening or Talking...are we under control or out of control. The result: Life experience has made me aware that change is a part of my life. Period. Thus, I choose to beware of how I deal with the changes when they happen. The goal (which I will most likely continue to pursue always): become a master of change for my own life.

Now it’s your turn...

What is your relationship with change? How do you deal with the change when you find yourself in the unexpected grassy area next to the path you want to travel? What wisdom have you gained from experiencing changes going from point A to point B? We’d love to hear your wisdom.

Play to Win...

The Gator Bowl, the Sugar Bowl, the Cotton Bowl, and the “Granddaddy of them All”…the Rose Bowl have entertained millions of college football fans across the nation during this New Year’s holiday. My family, like others have spent hours watching these talented teams bring their very best skills (along with some verbal outbursts) to compete for the title ‘winner’.

Winning on the field and winning in life, I’ve noticed while watching college football bowl games, have some similarities. Here are three that jumped out at me, see if you agree.

     A) Some teams have more depth. They have more players to play the game and keep everyone fresh and alert. Additionally, with more depth on your team, you can play each player in their strongest area. When each player exercises their strength, the team becomes stronger and at times…undefeatable.

     B) Some teams are just more prepared. The game we watch on television is the culmination of days, weeks and months of hard work, training, sweat and practice. The viewer does not see all the dedication behinds the scenes. Yet it is certain that there are many different levels of preparation. It stands to reason that those who spend more time in the weight room will be stronger. Those who spend more time with the trainer will be more coordinated. Those who spend more time exercising will be healthier. Hence, the team that is more prepared should be able to win more games.

     C) Some teams just want to win more. The will to win is an amazing factor seemingly giving teams momentum. As a sports fan, I’ve seen two teams walk onto their playing field with two very different swaggers. One team with head and chest held high, the other head and shoulders sagging. The difference? I might suggest the difference could be belief. One team just wants to win and believes they will be victorious. The other team…well, to be honest, they hope they will win.

It’s a new year. Are you ready to become a better, stronger, more winning team? Where are the specific areas you need to strengthen?

• Do you need more depth on your team? Take a look at the strength of each player. Are they playing to their strong suit?
• Do you need to be more prepared?  What specific area needs improvement - education, motivation, organization, attitude?
• Do you want to win? Do you believe?

If college football teams are willing to ‘lay it on the line’ for a trophy and a t-shirt, what are you willing to do to win in your life? There is no better time to start than today, because today is the first day of the rest of your life. Play to win.